The BJP leadership in Uttarakhand has termed the general budget progressive, visionary and practical. The BJP State chief and leader of opposition Ajay Bhatt called it a visionary and bold budget with its focus on poverty, rural issues and agriculture.
He stated, “The budget has set target for doubling the income of farmers by developing farming. Budgetary provision has also been made for skill development programme on a large scale for boosting employment for youth. Implementation of the prime minister irrigation scheme and creation of irrigation fund is a revoluntary initiative with a target of road-linking all villages by 2018 which will have give an unprecedented boost to the rural economy. A novel initiative for opening dialysis centres and cheap-price medicine shops has been aimed especially at health services provision for the economically weak. The budget will lend pace to the government’s flagship programme with the finance minister taking bold measures to maintain financial discipline. The union budget has provision for Rs2.7 lakh crore fund of which Gram Panchayats will have Rs80 lakh each with Rs21 crore provision will be made for improvement of small localities. Rs87,761 crore budget provision had been made for the rural sector. This is the first instance of special consideration being accorded to Gram Panchayats, localities and rural sector in the budget.”
Bhatt said that the 100 per cent village electrification by 2018, Rs19,000 crore provision has also been made for the Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojana under which efforts will be made to achieve the vision of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s golden quadrilateral project.
Under the new health policy, each family will be given up to Rs1,00,000 medical facility.
The BJP State chief also appreciated the relaxation provided by the Central Government in medical services to the senior citizens apart from which Rs55,000 crore budgetary provision has been made solely for road construction while provision has also been made for buffer stock in order to keep the prices of pulses under control and stable. The Congress focuses on talk while the BJP focuses on the work which is clearly evident at present, opined Bhatt.